This argument is retarded due to the fact that there is already a regulatory board set up with a rating system and a de facto law against selling to
minors to begin with.

The problem is that some (not all, some) stores ignore this rule and do so anyway, or the parent buys it for the kid. And even when it is the former,
how often do 10 year olds have 50 bucks on them that they earned themselves? Not to say this won't happen, but most get it from their parents to
begin with.

What I don`t understand is, if these games are so bad, and from what I can see is, they would like to stop these games from being marketed, but yet,
when these kids reach the age of 18, they can go into the military and see things that are just as bad, and even worse. So I guess by the time you
reach 18, it`s ok to teach them how to kill, and it won`t leave a lasting impression like these games will?

I'm always amused at just how low some people's opinion on the common sense level of the average pre-teen and teenage mind is. Show me a kid who
decides to rape or murder someone because of a video game they played and I will show you a kid who will one day murder someone because of some rock
song he's listened to, or some banned novel he's read, or because the devil tells him to kill people by communicating with him through his pet
Golden Retriever. In other words, the kid's nutshell is already cracked and the solution isn't to try to shelter him at all costs but, rather, fix
the damn crack.

The other issue here which I'm surprised nobody has mentioned is that video games are traditionally programmed by an element of society who tends to
hold creativity, individuality, and rebellion above the sort of group-think/speak/act, always do what the people in charge tell you to do mentality
which the government desires our children to follow. Thus, it behooves the government to restrict the medium as an entertainment source for children,
prefering to see the children turn to the old boob tube where they can be properly hammered by the ideals of consumerism, respecting authority (watch
some of the drivel they market especially to very young children... many of the messages are clearly spun in the direction of never questioning those
who hold sway, but always confronting your friends if you see them breaking from the lock step.)

Obviously I'm not advocating 8 year olds playing Gears of War here. (especially not on Xbox Live! Nothing kills a multiplayer ranked match quicker
than hearing a squeaking voice belonging to some kid who's testicles haven't even descended yet trying to talk smack...) I am saying, as a parent of
two small children, that it ultimately is my decision when my kids are mature enough to play a particular video game. Honestly, this argument may
have been valid 20 years ago, when we were a bunch of snots with milk still on our lips and our parents had never played anything more advanced than a
pinball machine. They had no idea what the hell Mortal Kombar had in terms of gore and violence and Doom was essentially Greek to them. The kids
they are attempting to control now, however, are largely from parents in their 30's who know exactly what's in the games because we play them too.
Therefore, I will give the benefit of the argument to the parents as to who can play what, not the courts and certainly not the crusading idiots in
government.

Video games help vent those violent primitive tendencies us humans try to forget we have. We're just animals deep down and we have rage that gets all
pent up in our modern society. Video games and other artistic mediums are a way of venting, Catharsis and escapism combined.

Glad to hear that a pro-video game case is being heard, a great break from all the negative press such games get.

Originally posted by FiatLux
What I don`t understand is, if these games are so bad, and from what I can see is, they would like to stop these games from being marketed, but yet,
when these kids reach the age of 18, they can go into the military and see things that are just as bad, and even worse. So I guess by the time you
reach 18, it`s ok to teach them how to kill, and it won`t leave a lasting impression like these games will?

Wow, society, brain death at it`s best.

LOL kudos for this post.

I believe it is the soccer mom groups that keep trying to push violet video games out the door. If they want their kids to stop playing violent video
games just tell them to go buy a wii.

Even Peter Jennings before he died just cracked an eye brow at people who say video games causes violence. He just gave that, "are you stupid?"
look. It was priceless when he did that interview with those activists. RIP Jennings!

The rating system is good enough. More sissy progressives trying to be the parents. We have so much dumb a**ed legislation right now that it is
unbelievable. Kids are not as innocent as everyone wants them to be. Time to wake up and fix some real problems.

Originally posted by ventian
The rating system is good enough. More sissy progressives trying to be the parents. We have so much dumb a**ed legislation right now that it is
unbelievable. Kids are not as innocent as everyone wants them to be. Time to wake up and fix some real problems.

You can say that again.

I have seen kids pocket delivery driver's tip money in the pockets and just giving the driver exact change. But hey they want to believe the phrase
monkey-see monkey-do.

I verry much agree with all the replies from the 5th of May down.
This one says it all.

Video games help vent those violent primitive tendencies us humans try to forget we have. We're just animals deep down and we have rage that gets all
pent up in our modern society. Video games and other artistic mediums are a way of venting, Catharsis and escapism combined.

Glad to hear that a pro-video game case is being heard, a great break from all the negative press such games get.

It's in our nature to be and/or act violent, somehow people forgot or just blame it on someone or something else, like videogames or the devil.

Originally posted by SirPsychoSexy
The only place I could have gotten it from is my excessive time spent playing Need for Speed and Burnout.

This is a valid point. As much as I hate censorship, we are all influenced to varying degrees by what we see be it video games, movies or TV.

I remember going to a movie with some friends as a teenager and after watching a movie with a great chase scene in it, the guy who drove us to the
movie decided to drive like the car in the chase scene on the way home, with tires squealing when turning corners etc. Now obviously not everyone
attending the movie did that on their way home, so it's fair to say not all of us have behavior influenced by such media, but some of us do, and the
less mature we are the more susceptible to the influence I think.

Ideally the parents should be making this call about what's appropriate for their kids, but when I look at the parenting skills of some parents (or
lack thereof) it is almost enough to make me go against my instincts that say leave it up to the parents, since some parents don't seem to be up to
the task, though certainly many are.

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